Diversity, Inclusivity, Culture and Equity and Engagement (DICE) Committee Charter

1. PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE

This committee will have permanent standing. The purpose of this committee is to come up with a department specific plan to promote diversity, inclusivity, equity and engagement of every member of the department. The eventual plan should make DICE part and parcel of the DNA of the department.

2. DEFINITIONS and ACRONYMS

Diversity is the range of different human characteristics that make us different from each other. This includes race, gender, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, age, physical attributes and disability, religious and political beliefs.

Inclusivity refers to promoting a feeling of belongingness to the department. Every member should feel valued for the skills and talents that they bring as a whole person to the departmental community.

Engagement is related to inclusivity and is the amount of investment that the individual feels towards the department. Engagement changes the nature of the job from a transactional arrangement to transformational involvement.

Equity is the principle of fairness. Equity offers equal treatment to persons with equal skill and qualification, free from socio-cultural biases.

Culture refers to the customs and norms that define the department, which are based on a common core set of beliefs.

3. SCOPE and RESPONSIBILITIES

The purpose of this committee is to devise a plan that will improve diversity, engagement, inclusivity and equity in the department.

• Review data to summarize the current climate in the department, especially as they pertain to minority and socially disadvantaged groups
• Review literature and best practices for DICE improvement
• Devise a plan with short-term and long-term goals and benchmarks for DICE
• Provide guidance on educational activities that will promote DICE in the department
• Assist with planning and creating a DICE curriculum for the department
• Evaluate the DICE plan at predetermined intervals to determine progress and offer recommendations for revision
• This committee is an advisory committee, and does not adjudicate disagreements

4. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE and MEMBERSHIP

Chair(s): Appointed by the Chair of the Department.

Members: Are appointed by the Chair of the Department. Proposed terms of appointment for members=2 years. For the first set of members, one half of the members will rotate off after 2 years, the other half after 3 years. Ensuring rotation of members is among the ways that knowledge about diversity and inclusivity will spread through the department.

The Chair of the Department is an ex-officio member of the committee.

5. CURRENT MEMBERSHIP

Chen Liu, Chair, Department of Pathology – Ex-officio member
Garnett Alexis
Geneviene Catellier
Marrisa DeLise
Laura Fuller-Weston
Annie Gumba-Kinsumba
Caro Kravitz
Themis Kyriakides – Committee Chair
ILKe Nalbantoglou
Matt Murray
Keith Rentfro
Harold Sanchez
Ibrahim Wael
Xuchen Zhang

6. COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The committee will meet once a month. Ad-hoc meetings will be called as needed by the Department or Committee Chair. When needed, the committee will divide into subgroups who will set their own meeting schedule. This will allow for a more rapid timeline to develop processes and procedures. Each of these groups will present the concerns/challenges that are specific within these particular groups, which are unlikely to be similar across groups. This will also allow those will lesser power to inform on hierarchies in the department that promote/maintain lack of diversity and inclusion.

Suggested subcommittees: Faculty, M&P, Clerical and Technical staff, Trainees and Post-docs

7. TEAM NORMS

It is essential that all members of this committee feel that they can express their opinions without fear of judgement or retribution. Spirited discussions are welcome—it is how change will happen and how best practices will be developed. Many of us are introverts (perhaps Pathology selects for such people?) and are perhaps less than comfortable voicing opinions in the moment. Instead of putting people on the spot, these people are invited to submit their opinions or thoughts after discussion as emails, or whatever best suits their individual nature. However, the introverts are invited to speak up, as are people with differing opinions.

8. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Rachel Lyke, Faculty Support Supervisor

9. THE PLAN

1. Review existing department specific information as gathered from various surveys on disengagement, diversity and inclusivity in the department.
2. Collect resources related to DICE efforts at YSM, Yale University and the Community to post on the departmental Website.
3. Identify (literature review, consultations with Dean of Diversity, other methodology) best practices that should be implemented within the department to promote diversity and inclusivity.
4. Create policies and procedures to implement best practices, with appropriate benchmarks and monitoring procedures.
5. Identify educational materials that all committee members can read to familiarize themselves with issues pertaining to diversity/equity and inclusivity in Society, Academia and in Medicine

10. MONITORING and EVALUATION

The goals and progress of this committee will be monitored and evaluated by the Department Chair and by the Dean of Diversity for YSM. This will ensure that the committee is aligned with the overall goals of the institution and “on the right path”.

11. REPORTING

Reports of the work of this committee will be produced every six months to be shared with the Chair and with the department.